Why Hire Robert M. Helfend?

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Federal Drug Trafficking Defense Attorney

Federal Drug Trafficking Attorney

Drug crimes investigations often involve more than allegations of drug possession or narcotics trafficking. If conducted at the federal level, investigators often look for evidence of money laundering and conspiracy. Once an indictment is handed down, a criminal forfeiture may be initiated, allowing the government to seize any property or assets it believes the accused acquired with proceeds from illegal drug activity. As a criminal defense lawyer with more than 20 years of experience serving as a drug trafficking attorney, I have the resources and legal knowledge needed to defend clients on multiple fronts in cases involving charges of drug trafficking in Los Angeles.

If I am involved during the investigatory phase of a case, I can gather evidence early on, which may be used later in the legal process to often times challenge wiretaps, overreaching surveillance techniques, search warrants, and the intimidation of my client, making it difficult for an investigation to move forward. As an aggressive legal defense, I hold investigators to the requirements of the law, exposing shortcuts they take to circumvent the protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution.

“Robert Helfend was such a helpful attorney! I wouldn’t have ever made it through my marijuana possession case without him. He really took time to understand my case, and find all of the evidence he needed to get me acquitted. I highly recommend him for and criminal defense case!”Anonymous, CA

If you are currently under investigation for drug trafficking in Los Angeles, or have already been indicted, contact my offices today to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case. My office counsels and defends clients facing charges related to drug trafficking and related offenses:

Narcotics trafficking

Marijuana possession

Heroin possession

Cocaine possession

Ecstasy possession

Manufacture of illegal drugs

Drug possession with the intent to distribute

Drug distribution

Drug import / export

Drug smuggling

Federal Defense Attorney

Prosecutors almost always include a charge of conspiracy in drug trafficking cases. From a legal perspective, a conspiracy charge can have a significant impact on the case against you. Once a conspiracy charge is entered, the hearsay rules that prevent unsubstantiated claims from being considered as evidence against a defendant are suspended. This allows prosecutors to widen an investigation, cut deals targeting you, and enter statements from questionable or shady informants into evidence. As your attorney, I work to show the highly questionable nature of hearsay evidence and expose the untrustworthy nature of government informants and those willing to make a plea.

If you’ve been arrested for drug trafficking in the Los Angeles area, chances are that the government will initiate a forfeiture action against you or your property. With a civil forfeiture, the action is against the property, and there is no need for the prosecution to prove a crime. There can be a civil forfeiture even if you are not convicted. A criminal forfeiture action is against the defendant, and it is usually pursued as part of the sentencing. The government must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the property was purchased with money made from unlawful activity. Prosecutors are aware that initiating a civil forfeiture action can make it difficult for the accused to mount a defense. Usually, bank accounts are frozen, property is taken, and assets are seized. My office acts immediately to challenge forfeitures, consulting accountants and other investigators to block government forfeiture actions and persuade the court that such behavior constitutes harassment of my client. I understand what needs to be done to challenge the evidence against my clients. I understand how to identify poor investigative work, witness coercion, and violations of my client’s constitutional rights.

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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.